Cricket Discussion - Part 2

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Been thinking a bit about who bats at #3 for Oz after Labuschage gets the axe or actually digs himself out of the hole he is in at the moment.

Historically #3 for Oz has been a star batsmen who the team builds around that doesn't change much when the side is playing very well and/or dominating teams over a period of several years.

On the weekend I did some Statsguru queries. Below is the link to the list of everyone who has batted at #3 for Oz including night watchmen and promoting someone like Gilchrist to go the tonk for a declaration in the 2nd innings.

144 blokes have batted at least 1 innings in 1 Test at #3. Here is the top 22 by both runs scored at #3 and number of tests where they at least in one innings of a test batted at #3.

stats.espncricinfo.com

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com

stats.espncricinfo.com stats.espncricinfo.com

1733108244297.png

It got me thinking how long did some of these guys bat there in the total number of test played during that part of their career.

I started at Bradman. Before he made his debut Australia had played 128 tests and the last one he played in was 188th test Oz had played in, so Bradman played in 40 of those 60 tests at #3. He played 52 tests all up.
W 35 L 14 D 11 = 60

Harvey took over from Bradman and his last test was 265th so he batted at #3 for 52 of those 77 tests. He played 79 tests all up. Lindsay Hassett and Norm O'Neil both batted #3 in 12 tests each.
Hassett made 1009 runs at 56.05.
This was a pretty dominate era for Oz, not quiet as good as with Bradman in the team but still pretty good.
W 37 L 15 T 1 D 24 = 77

The next period I looked at was between 1 Nov 1963 and 1 Nov 1970. Oz played in 53 tests and 13 players batted at #3.
Ian Chappell 15 tests at #3 954 runs @ 43.36,
Ian Redpath 11 tests 815 runs @ 47.94, and
Bob Cowper 14 tests 811 runs @ 40.55.
This was a pretty flat period for Oz
W 17 L 15 and D 21 tests = 53

The next period is from start of 70-71 series that saw debut of Lillee, Marsh and Greg Chappell, up to the last test before Packer's world series cricket started. 1 Nov 1970 and 1 Nov 1977 Oz played 52 Tests and
Ian Chappell 36 tests at #3 3167 runs @ 55.56 (significantly above his 42.42 career average)
Ian was retired for 11 of those tests. He didn't bat #3 in the last 4 tests of 75-76 the Windies series, Greg did.
Greg Chappell 9 tests 575 runs @ 44.23
Rick McCosker 7 tests 560 runs @ 56.00
W 23 L 11 D 18 = 52

There were 24 tests played during world series cricket.
Border 8 tests at #3 789 runs at 56.35, Hughes 6 tests 231 runs @ 21.00 and
Yallop, Toohey and Olgivie batted at #3 in 4 tests each. The B grade side struggled against A grade sides.
W 6 L 13 D 5 = 24.

Next period I looked at was from post WSC to the end of Pakistan series in 1983-84 when Lille, Marsh and Greg Chappell all retired after that 5th test in the series at Sydney. This was 45 tests and Greg Chappell missed several overseas tours as he stayed home because of work commitments. Only 6 tests against the West Indies in this period, all in Oz.
Greg Chappell 15 tests at #3 1074 runs @ 42.96
Graham Yallop 8 test 675 runs @ 61.36
John Dyson 8 tests 309 runs @ 228.09
Alan Border 7 tests 287 runs at 23.91
W 16 L 14 D 15 = 45

From 1 Feb 1984 to 10 Feb 1989 - Hughes' last 7 tests as captain and player, Border's first 39 and we played the West Indies in 15 of 46 tests whilst they were at the peak of their powers. 12 players batted at #3
Jones 17 tests at #3 1167 runs @ 48.62
Wessels 8 tests 662 runs @50.92
Boon 7 tests 488 runs @44.36
Border 5 tests 470 runs @78.33
W 7 L 18 T 1 D 20 = 46 Lowest ebb for Oz cricket

Border's last 54 tests as captain - 10 Feb 1989 to 1 May 1994. Only 5 tests against the West Indies in this period.
Boon 41 tests at #3 3084 runs at 52.27 only 6 others batted at #3.
W 25 L 9 D 20 = 54

Next period is Taylor's 50 test as captain 1 may 1994 to 1 Feb 1999. It was shared around by 8 but mainstays were
Boon 18 tests at #3 840 runs at 31.11
Blewett 16 tests 720 runs at 27.69
Langer 10 tests 678 runs at 39.88
W 26 L 13 D 11 = 50

Next period is from start of Waugh's captaincy to retirement of Ricky Ponting plus last 3 tests of 2012-13 season against Sri Lanka. Ponting retired after 3rd test v South Africa at the WACA. 1 Feb 1999 to 1 Feb 2013. Ponting dominated playing at #3 in 110 of 161 tests
Ponting 110 tests at #3 9767 runs @ 57.45
Langer 24 tests 1618 runs @ 44.94 .............. 16 other players batted at 3.
W 105 L 30 D 26 = 161 Australia's longest and most successful test period.

The rest of Clarke's period of captaincy and to the end of the sandpaper series in South Africa where Paine captained the last test. 62 tests played between 1 Feb 2013 and 1 May 2018. All up 12 players batted at 3.
Smith 17 tests @ #3 1744 runs at 67.07
Khawaja 26 tests 1739 runs at 41.40
Watson 10 tests 759 runs @ 42.16
W 30 L 24 D 8 = 62 ..... won a lot of tests at home but lost a lot away from home.

Final period is since Paine's 2nd test as captain in Dubai until now, ie from 1 May 2018. Marnus dominates during this 55 test period. But I thinks its time for a change.
Labushagne 44 tests at #3 3679 at 51.09
Khawaja ..... 8 tests 401 runs at 28.64
Shaun Marsh played 1 test at 3 for 7 and 0, and 5 others have batted once there, including Cummins last test.
W 31 L 14 D 10 = 55
 
Sad to see that Ian Redpath passed away on the weekend. The players from the Chappell era are slowly leaving us. Marsh, Mallett, Freeman, Jenner and now Ian Redpath.

Ian Redpath's Test career was like that of Bobby Simpson as he took a while to get to three figures but once he had recorded his maiden Test century he became a significant player.
 

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RussellEbertHandball said:
Historically #3 for Oz has been a star batsmen who the team builds around that doesn't change much when the side is playing very well and/or dominating teams over a period of several years.
Click to expand...
This was something that was pushed a lot throughout Michael Clarke's captaincy, primarily because he continued to bat at 5 despite being clearly the best batsmen in the side for a significant period of time.

Its just more that Australia's best batsmen have been number 3s.

Alan Border for instance, played a grand total of 21 Tests at number 3. He came in at number 6 in 45 Tests.

We had a string of players batting at number 3 in the late 90s while the Waugh twins batted at 4 and 5. And it wasn't until Ricky Ponting graduated up the order to 3 from 6 that the best batsman in the team was once again walking out at first drop.
 
This will be the 13th day/night test in Oz and 23rd around the world. There hasn't been a draw yet in a day night Test.

en.wikipedia.org

Day/night cricket - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

Oz have only played tests in Oz and won 11 and lost 1. The loss was at the Gabba last season thanks to Shamar Joseph's heroics. Adelaide has hosted 7 tests, Gabba 3, and Perth and Hobart 1 each.

Australia has played against England 3 times ( AO 2 Hobart 1), NZ 2 times (AO and Perth) WI 2 times (AO and Gabba) Pak 2 time (AO and Gabba) India and South Africa once both at AO and Sri Lanka once at the Gabba.

India have hosted 3 games v Bang, Eng, Sri and have won those 3 games in India.
Dubai have hosted 2 Pakistan home games v WI and Sri
New Zealand have hosted 2 both v Eng
England have hosted 1 v WI
West Indies have hosted 1 game v Sri
South Africa have hosted 1 game v Zim

Not surprising but Oz players have pretty good records in day/night tests.

Batting - top 15 run makers - Labuschagne's and Head's records are better in day/night than their career average.

1733194604881.png

Bowling - 10 wickets or more. Starc's normal strike rate is 48.86, Cummins' 47.27, Hazlewood's 53.17 and Lyon's 62.08. Their averages drop as well by around 5 runs.

1733195041120.png
 
Sam Konstas turned 19 on 5th October. His 100 in the two day game that became a one day game in Canberra v India, gives him a little bit more of a nudge towards test selection. After these 5 tests against India we play Sri Lanka in 2 tests in Sri Lanka in February and if we qualify, the World Test Championship at Lords in June. So there is still a chance he could get to debut before he turns 20.

The Ashes series starts next December.

The only teenagers that Australian selectors have picked in the last 40 years have all been bowlers, McDermott, Cummins and Agar.

Phillip Hughes was 20 years and 88 days when he was selected in March 2009 to play in the first test in South Africa.

Last test batsman selected as a teenager, was Doug Walters in the ashes series 59 years ago and he made 155 on debut. Hughes made a century in his 2nd test and was the youngest Aussie since Doug to make a century then made 160 in the second innings to become the youngest player ever to score a century in both innings of a test match.


Took this screen shot off Cricket Archive page before the paywall blocked me.

1733198353804.png
 
Some have it tough!! Cricket fans will be spoiled for choice at the Australia v India Test match starting on Friday with an expanded members area and a two-storey wine bar among the new offerings at Adelaide Oval. South Australian Cricket Association members will benefit most with a second Village Green-style space in the Lindsay Head Terrace Bar, overlooking the city on level 5 of the Riverbank Stand. For the first time, the top level of that stand will be dedicated to SACA members, who will enjoy lobster rolls, paella and oysters, alongside ‘Fast Track beer bars’ – new automated machines designed to reduce waiting times.
 
Holden Hillbilly said:
Some have it tough!! Cricket fans will be spoiled for choice at the Australia v India Test match starting on Friday with an expanded members area and a two-storey wine bar among the new offerings at Adelaide Oval. South Australian Cricket Association members will benefit most with a second Village Green-style space in the Lindsay Head Terrace Bar, overlooking the city on level 5 of the Riverbank Stand. For the first time, the top level of that stand will be dedicated to SACA members, who will enjoy lobster rolls, paella and oysters, alongside ‘Fast Track beer bars’ – new automated machines designed to reduce waiting times.
Click to expand...

Uzman Khawaja better be careful walking through there...
 
I will be very happy to be wrong with this but I have a strong suspicion the Indians have got inside the heads of a number of the Aussie players and it could all be downhill from here.

The successful Aussie cricket teams fought fire with fire, but now we have an Indian batsman telling a bemused Starc he is bowling `too slow,' and two of their bowlers blowing kisses to the batsman, for virtually zero response in each situation.

Blokes like Sunny Gavaskar and Kapil Dev could have only dreamt of Aussie players being so meek back in their day, and a strong response by particularly the Aussie batsmen in the Adelaide test is required or it could be a struggle to get back into the series.
 

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Australia XI for second Test: Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland
 
Grave Danger said:
Ha - Poms all out for 280 (Brooke 123, Pope 66) - the other 9 wickets managed 106 runs
Click to expand...
Good decision to put in poms. They were 4/43 and Kiwis would have been bloody happy, so 280 is still a decent outcome. Kiwis have 30 overs to face today.
 
Grave Danger said:
SA have got more interstate players than an AFL team.
Click to expand...

According to the SACA no problems with the district system here. Too many old school ties to fight.
 
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